Perforce of ejection from the three cups they entered and thus now pursuing their needful league interests, Old Meadonians ground out a very welcome three points against feisty and troublesome visitors to Riverside Lands, Parkfield, on Saturday.

This game was virtually worth six points as the visitors are sitting rockilly just above Meads, with a one point advantage but having played three more games.

This win was achieved with solid all round input. However, greater debt was due to the tireless covering of Lawrie Pointer at the back, selfless work from utility man Ed Glover at right wingback and above all to striker Alex Jones who, having been on the bench for the second team the week before, spearheaded Meads’ attack to give it a directness which has been in short supply recently.

In no way does it denigrate his natural ability to say that Jones is a throw back to the bustling centre forwards of the day before yesterday; typically, he has the characteristically low centre of gravity which makes it difficult to lever him off the ball, an unerring sense of direction which spelt danger every time he got the ball and a predatory knack of being in the right place.

Feeding off the cunning of Colin Hawkins alongside him he helped himself to a couple and was unlucky in grazing the wrong side of the post on three more occasions. Parkfield, for their part, made sure that their hosts didn’t have it all their way and probably shaded possession throughout to have periods of sustained if ultimately contained pressure. However, they were mostly snuffed out up front and otherwise did themselves a disservice in front of goal.

Despite this, just when Meads looked to have put distance between themselves and pursuit, the visitors refused to go away, clawing their way back into contention twice. Meads’ first came on the half hour when, under pressure from Jones, a defender headed in Jack Costello’s accurate free-kick. Meads then held the ascendancy till half time with Hawkins dipping one just over from just outside the area and Andy Thompson having one header saved and another skimming the bar.

Meads second was the pick of the three ten minutes after the break. Dwayne Rhone crossed from the left and Glover, in one of his few incursions into enemy territory, put Jones in with a well directed header. At this point Meads just missed the chance to go three up when the usually lethal Costello had his shot charged down and the resulting pinball episode was eventually stifled by the keeper. Instead the visitors retaliated with a snap shot from the edge of the box into the corner.

Superiority was instantly re-established when Hawkins deep cross found Jones lurking at the far post and making no mistake. There was still time for Parkfield to put a twist in the tale with their second with ten minutes to go but Meads held on. Alex Jones was named MoM.